A man wanted over a string of fraud and theft allegations across the upper North Island is now accused of taking off with an Auckland gay couple’s new $90,000 Audi. David Nepia Carroll, 40, has allegedly ripped off gay stays from Northland to Auckland. He has a warrant for breaching his prison release conditions and police want to speak with him regarding fraud related activities. The Police 10-7 wanted image Ruakaka constable Mark Stuart has been on Carroll’s trail since he allegedly left men's homestay La Belle Maison about $2000 out of pocket. Stuart has told the New Zealand Herald Carroll’s latest alleged victims are a gay couple who had met him in February then again last Sunday. He says they'd all had breakfast together in Ponsonby then gone to lunch at SPQR where Carroll had paid for the meal. They all returned to the couple's inner city home, and they went to bed, leaving Carroll alone in the lounge. When they woke up their Audi was A5 gone, as was Carroll. They later realised money was missing from their bank account and believe he'd taken their card earlier in the day then withdrawn money to pay for lunch. Stuart has told the New Zealand Herald he is determined to catch Carroll. "If you see him, just discreetly call 111 and advise police," he says. "He's a class act really, you've got to give it to him.” Recently featuring among the wanted on Police 10-7, Carroll is described as a male Maori, 183cm tall and of thin build. He has a Sanskrit tattoo on the back of his neck and a koru style heart tattooed on his right shoulder. Police say he may be in Wellington.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 22nd July 2012 - 4:04pm